Imagine living in a world where people use their computers, drive their cars, and communicate with one another simply by thinking. Neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis, named by Scientific American as one of the 20 most influential scientists in the world, shares his revolutionary insights into how the brain creates thought and the human sense of self, and how this might be augmented by machines connected directly to the brain. Nicolelis's work with primates—monkeys taught to control robots half a world away using brain signals—has uncovered a new method for capturing brain function by recording rich neuronal symphonies rather than the activity of single neurons. He explains how his lab is paving the way for a new treatment for Parkinson's, silk-thin exoskeletons to grant mobility to the paralyzed, and leaps in space exploration, global communication, and manufacturing.

"Duke University neuroscientist Nicolelis is a leader in the rapidly developing field that allows brains and machines to work closely together. His pioneering work has led to machines like robotic arms that rhesus monkeys control via the electrical impulses transmitted by neurons in their brains. Nicolelis describes this research and explains the paradigm shifts it has produced, such as a growing group of neuroscientists who now believe that physical and mental activities are not controlled by highly specialized brain regions, but rather 'on populations of multitasking neurons, distributed across multiple locations.' While Nicolelis predicts future developments, such as brain-machine interfaces that will, for instance, allow paralyzed humans to interact fully with their environment, he devotes most of the book to a historical perspective on neuroscience and to explaining the specifics of his research."—Publishers Weekly